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He was late. That wasn't unusual for Merlin, in fact most of the castle had become used to that after 9 years at this point. No, the difference today was that he was feeling strangely achey, he knew he'd been carrying some heavy cargo for the visiting kingdom but nothing too strenuous! He climbed out of bed with a quiet groan and got dressed, before joining Gaius for a quick breakfast.
The physician's eyebrow rose slightly as soon as he spots his ward, he knew the man had actually got to bed early last night but he still somehow looked tired "you seem rather pale Merlin, are you feeling alright?" He asks as the younger man practically inhales his breakfast, before standing up and smiling slightly "I'm fine Gaius, just tired" he says before leaving the room, not noticing how Gaius rolls his eyes almost knowingly.
It wasn't long before Merlin was loudly entering the king and queen's room, startling Arthur who was already sat at his desk. He hears Gwen giggle quietly "good morning, merlin" she says as she comes from behind the changing screen, taking a seat to Arthur's right before turning to give him a bright smile "good morning, My Lady" Merlin responds, suprised at how scratchy his voice sounded, causing Gwen's smile to fade into a look of concern which he waves away as he clears his throat.
Arthur rolls his eyes and speaks between bites of food "you better not be sick, Merlin" he says in annoyance, which gets him a reprimanding look from Gwen as she adds on "you do look a little warm" as she moves across the room to rest a hand on her friends forehead, only for merlin to duck away and shake his head "I'm not sick, honestly!" He says, moving around the room to start on his chores.
Gwen gives him one last look of concern before kissing Arthur's cheek and heading out to start her day, Arthur on the other hand continues watching his manservant for several more minutes, before giving him a list of chores around the castle, so that he wouldn't be a distraction.
It's just as Merlin is leaving Arthur's chambers, that he hears the man begining to cough and sighs quietly "not sick my ass" he muttered once the door was closed. Over the next few hours, Merlin goes from feeling achey and tired to feeling like both Kilgharrah, Aithusa and a pack of Wyverns had stomped on him several times, but he could deal with it. He only had to sharpen Arthur's sword, polish a few sets of armour, get Arthur a bath and finish off writing a speech.
He finds himself leaning against the wall, as he tries to make his way to the armoury from the opposite side of the castle. His coughs, which had become considerably worse in the last 2 hours, caused him to stop and curl into himself every couple of steps but he still wasn't going to concede to what he'd already figured out, not until he'd finished. It was that thought that stayed with him as the world faded to black and he knew of nothing else after.
Percival hears a thump and the sound of a sword falling to the floor in the hallway he's about to enter, so unsheathing his sword he creeps cautiously around the corner. He isn't expecting to find an unconscious Merlin sprawled out on the floor with Excalibur by his side!
He checks both ends of the hallway for an unseen threat, before rushing to his side "Merlin? Can you hear me?" He ask as he gently pulls the man into a sitting position, letting out a sigh of relief when he notices that he's breathing, slightly slow and a little Labored, but breathing nonetheless "Gwaine! Get Gaius and Arthur!" He calls to the knight that wasn't that far behind him.
Said knight skids around the corner at his call and kneels beside him for several seconds, looking at his friend in concern, before rushing off faster than Percival had ever seen him move in all the years he'd known him, "wake up for me Merlin" he says a little louder than before, giving the man a shake to see just how out of it he was.
The only reaction he gets is a small groan and a series of coughs, but before he could do anything else, Arthur comes sprinting down the hallway "what happend?" He demands as he kneels beside the two of them, though by the looks of it he's already figured it out, so he picks up his manservant and carries him bridal style to gaius's chambers.
Gaius meets Arthur in the doorway, both of them startling one another, before the physician sees his ward in the other man's arms "get him on the cot" he says, motioning to the patient bed already set up in the middle of the room.
Percival watches as Arthur puts his friend down with a gentleness he's never seen from him before, both he and the gentle giant stay by Merlin's side for a few minutes, watching as Gaius checks him over and sighs quietly "I knew he wasn't right when he left this morning" he grumbled, weather he was telling Arthur and Percival or merely talking to himself, none of them really knew.
He quickly moved across the room and grabbed a cloth, bucket and a few tinitures "I'm sorry My Lord, it appears he caught the sweating sickness from the lower town" they hear him say, Percival takes a few steps back as soon as he hears this, whilst Arthur continues to hold Merlin's hand "will he be alright?" The king asks, concern clear to hear and when he doesn't add anything sarcastic, they realise he's being genuine. Gaius smiles softly and nods "with a week's rest he'll be back to driving us up the wall" he says, looking at his ward with a mixed look of worry and fondness.